A Billboard of Gods Grace

God made a promise to Abraham and Abraham’s heirs. Two words serve as subheads for this covenant: seed and soil. First, God promised to bless the seed of Abraham and bless the world through Abraham’s seed. The Lord had said to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).

Why would God make such a covenant with Israel? Not because of anything Israel had to offer. God chose Israel for the same reason he chose you and me: grace. Sheer, sovereign grace. He simply chose them as his billboards of grace.

Devotion by Max Lucado | The Almighty Jehovah | https://thealmightyJehovah.com

The Real Jesus

You know, the Jesus of many people is small enough to be contained in an aquarium that fits on the cabinet. Never causes any trouble, never demands any attention. Now if you want a goldfish bowl of Jesus, you need to steer clear of the real Jesus because he changes everything.

Now he doesn’t make you sexy, skinny, or clever. He doesn’t change what you see in the mirror, but he changes how you see what you see. He will not be silenced, packaged, or predicted. He is the pastor who chased people out of church. He’s the prophet who had a soft spot for crooks and whores. He’s the king who washed the grime off the feet of the betrayer—his betrayer. He turned a bread basket into a buffet and a dead friend into a living one. And most of all, he transformed the tomb into a womb out of which was born life—your life.

In the Meantime

Is Peter speaking to us when he urges, “Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it” (1 Peter 2:11)? We know our Father’s name, and he has claimed us, but he has yet to come for us. So here we are, caught between what is and what will be. No longer orphans but not yet home. What do we do in the meantime?

Indeed, it can be just that—a mean time. Time made mean with disease, deceit, death, and debt. How do we live in the mean time? How do we keep our hearts headed home? “Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect” (Hebrews 12:2). Look to Jesus. Ponder his life. Consider his ways. Meditate on his words. Jesus, just Jesus.

A Billboard of Gods Grace